1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to electrical connector assemblies, and particularly to an arrangement or system for preventing incorrect mating between a male connector and a female connector both of which have inconsistent mating ports with each other.
2. The Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,912 discloses an electrical connector assembly of a matrix type having a pair of male connector and female connector mated with each other wherein a key is formed on the male connector to cooperate with a keyway in the female connector for anti-misorientation of mating of the connector assembly. Anyhow, the aforementioned '912 patent only teaches the "matrix type" connector assembly and the corresponding key and keyway structure respectively on the male connector and the female connector for assuring the correct orientation therebetween when mating.
Also, the '912 patent discloses the male connector having matrix type arranged sleeve members each with a receptacle contact therein for mating with the female connector having matrix type arranged cavities each with a plug contact therein whereby the receptacle contact of the male connector can electrically and mechanically engage the corresponding plug contact of the female connector.
In the actual practice, such type connector assembles are not always of a matrix type, and most of time they are of a rectangular form. Moreover, there are so many types available in the market, for example, 2.times.2, 3.times.2, 4.times.4. . . , N.times.2 in their column/row arrangement. Under this situation, a male connector having a less number of sleeve members may be mistakenly inserted into some cavities of a female connector having a larger number of cavities in comparison with the male connector, if the operator carelessly picks the male connector and the female connector with the different numbers of mating ports thereof. This incorrect mating may result in damage of circuits of the whole system. Therefore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,221 introduces a method using the different positioned chamfers on some of the sleeve members, or so-called silos in the '221 patent, of the male connector to cooperate with the different positioned chamfers on the corresponding cavities of the female connector, so as to make sure that only the connectors having the same number of mating ports can be mated with each other, thus preventing mis-mating between the male connector and the female connector having the different numbers of mating ports.
However, the '221 patent only discloses the so-called keying system from 1.times.2 to 12.times.2 positions while does not further disclose how such differently positioned chamfers should be arranged on both the male connector and the female connector. There is no specific formula or systematic method mentioned which can be a guidance of setting the chamfers on both the male connector and the female connector for achievement correct matching either in the series from 1.times.2 to 12.times.2 or above 12.times.2. The embodiment disclosed in the '221 patent seems to be a complicated result of a random selection with a try-and-error test. This deficiency may make the skilled person burdensome if he attempts to create another set of mating connector assembly, especially when the number of the matching ports exceeds 12.times.2 which is the biggest number disclosed in the '221 patent's embodiment.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide an understandable systematic and scientific way which is easy to follow for accomplishment of preventing mis-mating between the male connector and the female connector having the different numbers of mating ports with each other.